The spotlight will be on Belfast’s music and culture in New York this summer as the Lyric Theatre’s musical show Good Vibrations kicks off a five-week run in the Irish Arts Center in New York.
Tourism Ireland hosted a preview event, in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Bureau and the Irish Consulate, which was attended by leading travel trade representatives, as well as travel and lifestyle journalists, based in New York. The guests heard about Belfast’s rich musical heritage, its wonderful contribution to music and why American holidaymakers should come and visit.
Guests also had the opportunity to meet some of the cast and writers of Good Vibrations – which is based on the award-winning movie of the same name and tells the story of radical and charismatic punk music fanatic Terri Hooley and his journey to open a record shop, start a music label and keep music in general accessible in Belfast in the early 1970s.
The show is produced by the Lyric Theatre and supported by Tourism Ireland, as part of Tourism Ireland’s programme of activity to highlight Belfast’s designation as a UNESCO City of Music in the United States. Other Tourism Ireland activity to promote Good Vibrations in the United States includes a PR and publicity push, email marketing and activity on social media.
Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, said: “Tourism Ireland is delighted to support this production of ‘Good Vibrations’ running in New York this summer – celebrating the city’s status as a UNESCO City of Music and reminding our important travel trade and media contacts about the many great reasons for US travellers to visit Belfast and Northern Ireland this year. The United States remains an extremely important market for tourism to Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland – and music and culture are important elements of our overall tourism offering and a key message in Tourism Ireland’s promotions.”
